Extraction of values from ores



. 1,999,807 I V EXTRACTION or VALUES FROM onus Harold L. Gibbs, Salt Lake City, Utah :NoDrawing Application June 25, 1934,

- Serial No.73 2,? 85 I a I 8 Claims (01. 23- 18) L a I his invention relates to the extraction or redid not .defeatthe object of the process but merecovery of values fromiores, and particularly to ly delayed the desired reaction. V i the extraction for recovery of radium, uranium Instead of using both'an alkali hydroxideand and vanadium from carnotite ores. a an alkali carbonate with the per-oxygen com- As is well known, carnotite ores oontain,'in adpound, either thehydroxide or the carbonate may 5 L dition to the mineral carnotite from which 'the he omitted and satisfactory results still'obtained.

radium, uranium and vanadium are recovered,- However, the best results are found to follow the various less valuable metals, such as iron, and one use of all three substances in combination.

object of the invention is to'provide a process 1A8 e f r stat d; the pr ss as bra e by means of which the carnotiteore is so treated ticed in accordance with the invention involves, 101

j that a solution containing almost exclusively preferably, the use of apermxyg'eh compound, radium; uranium and vanadium is obtained, thus such as hydrogen peroxide, in combination withan V materially simplifying the subsequent s tep's nesalkali hydroxideand an alkali carbonate; these essary for the separate recovery of these values. three. g e e ng used in various P DD I- l 1 Moreover, in accordancewith the invention, the tions as may be found necessary to suit the peruse of heat and of acids in the initial stepsof the c age 0f Carnetite present in the t he V process, as is now common practice, is dispensed} treated. And it will be understood'that thepr'o- V i with, and hence the cost of "the process is niatep s give in t e fo o pl are mererially reduced. 1 a l I 1y illustrative and should not be taken as a limi- In carrying out the process of the invention the "t Of'the inv t ve Concep a procedure is" substantially. as followszeTo l the H wev r, th p e pa i eat 0 the invention carnotiteore,crushed-or cornminuted to the'de-f is e e p yment of a p o y Compound, sired fineness, is addedsubstantiallythree times" pr ab yhy peroxide, in the mixture 0011- its volume of Watc -and to'this mixtureare-added taining t ore from w h va are to b "an alkalihydroxide; an alkali carbonate, and'a 'e O ed-- V r per-oxygen compound, in quantities dependent "V C s and odifications are ,con-

upon the concentration of the carnotite th sidered to be within the spirit of the invention and ore. This mixture ispermitted to leach,-and the the 8 1 e following C aimsresulting solution, which contains almost exclu What e I s'ively radium', uranium and vanadium, is there- -1 21 Pr for r ver n Values from 0, after treated in accordance with approved pracf t Ores. the step of leaching the omminu ed tice for the separaterecovery of these-values. Yole With alkaline Solution Containing s a .Sodium hydroxide and sodium carbonate area ingrediente p y p u d- 7 suitable alkali hydroxide and alkali carbonate, re a I11 f e v ne values from carspectively, for use in the process of the invention, netite Ores, the p 0f leaching t e omminuted' although; others maybe employed, if desir d; d ore with 'a solution containing an'alkali hydroxide of the per-oxygen compounds the use ofthe inn h y mpound 7, j w M organic n' u is rf rid u h 3. In a process for recovering values from carfor example, as hydrogen peroxide; sodium per-L es the Step of ac n thelcomminuted oxide potassium peroxide and Sodium p'erborate, ore with a solution containing analkali hydrox- 40 but particularly{hydrogen peroxide; V ide, an Carbonate and. per-Oxygen 00m- To further define the processfby means of an pounda V a example derived from experimental work con-V n aprocess for recovel'mgvalues fmmcarducted on carnotiteore containing two" percent n9tite Ores, the St of leachingthe comminuted isf'or uranium oxide, it was found thatif to one ton l with 501mm containing a alkali hydrOX- of such ore and the requiredquantity of water, a l carbonate and weer-Oxygen sixty pounds of a thirtypercerit solution of hy- Pound e g ou .compfising hydrogen perox 'drogefi 'rd hundred p n of f ide, alkali-metal peroxides and alkali-metal pera carbonate'and seventy-five pounds of sodium hy-t cbbrates; e

50 'dmxjde were addedrthgrbesg resultswere 5. In a. process for recovering values from carv Q tamed, .i i notite ores, the step of leaching thecomminuted Although the proportions just given produced ore with a solution containingan alkali hy'drox the best results, it was found that failure to use ide, an alkali carbonate and hydrogen peroxide;

- the proper quantitiesof the various'ingredients 6. In a process for reeoveri m f V 4 hydrogen, peroxide, alkali-metai peroxides and alkali-metal perborates.

8. In a process for recovering radium, uranium and vanadium from carnotite ores; the step of leaching the comminuted'ore with a solution eontaining sodium hydroxide, sodium carbonate and hydrogen peroxide. 7 r 7 7, I HAROLD L. GIBBS. 

